1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of protective agents in cancer chemotherapy in human and animal subjects. Protective agents are compounds that prevent, reduce, or otherwise ameliorate the toxic side effects of anti-cancer chemotherapeutic compounds in normal body cells while substantially preserving the anti-tumor properties of these compounds in vivo when administered prior to, concomitantly with, or subsequently to administration of such chemotherapeutic compounds. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of D-methionine and structurally related compounds as protective agents having otoprotective, weight loss-protective, gastrointestinal-protective, neuro-protective, alopecia-protective, and survival-enhancing effects in conjunction with chemotherapy employing platinum-containing antineoplastic agents, such as cisplatin. The present invention also relates to the use of D-methionine and structurally related compounds as protective agents having otoprotective effects against noise-induced, loop diuretic-induced, aminoglycoside antibiotic-induced, iron chelator-induced, quinine- and quinidine-induced, and radiation-induced hearing loss, as well as protective effects in ameliorating other radiation-induced side effects such as neural damage, alopecia, gastrointestinal disorders, and reduced patient survival.
2. Description of Related Art